The XX

Really digging this, what they most remind me of is early 90's shoegazer/dream pop band Breathless. But there's plenty of other stuff in the mix, Mezzanine era Massive Attack, Tricky, Felt, even a bit B&S with the interplay between the vocalists. I like the fact that people can't quite put their finger on a sole overriding precursor even if it does sound slightly familiar.

Obviously the vocalist sounds nothing like Dominic Appleton.

Oh and the Womack and Womack cover rules kthxbye.

It's not that the guy has a bad voice or is a bad singer, it's just that whenever he starts singing, he strangely banalizes the whole thing. Still a very good record, though.

I dunno, rather than that the combination of his voice and hers reminds me -- more conceptually than in specific resemblance -- of things like Serge Gainsbourg's calmer duets, something about understated textures. It suits the songs and performances, it doesn't jar.

Does anyone know when this is being released in the US?

It's currently $30 import on Amazon, which is insane.

No idea if you mean the physical disc. But, fwiw, the XX is now on eMusic in the U.S. market.

Thanks, Daniel. I'm on the lookout for the physical disc, but I might just have to go for Amazonmp3 or something.

Does anyone know when this is being released in the US?

xxis scheduled to be released on October 20th in North America.

i posted that up thread.

I don't get it. Interesting sound but probably not for me. Should I keep trying? Maybe Spotify streams aren't doing it justice..

Stream here for those w/o Spotify access:
http://3voor12.vpro.nl/speler/luisterpaal/42404084#luisterpaal.42404084

Thanks, Bee OK.

"This is so much better than Colder, dude."

yeah I think I agree, but my point is why are people grasping at outlandish comparisons when there is a prior band/artist who did exactly the same thing.

Did they? (Not trying to be flippant but from what I remember of Colder I only sense a general resemblance. Post some compare/contrast links by all means!)

moody post-punk minimalism, electro beats, general breath fogging up the windscreen feel.

Perhaps Colder crossed with Insides to be really precise about it.

Colder were a fair bit broodier and electronic i thought

Hmmm, I like the Insides comparison but...a different kind of lyrical focus, less carefully constructed storytelling and more fragmentary perception.

i don't see the colder comparison really. this is like bubblegum teen music.

and i love the guy's voice. it reminds me of someone else but i can't place it yet. i hear the tricky, but it's something else too. something american?

Guy's voice reminded me a bit of M. Ward.

that's it!

it sounds a little like fugiya and miyagi imo, in places.

Anyone heard their cover of Womack & Womack's "Teardrops"?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WrVgCCUQ3fQ

ctrl f teardrops

lol

from Pitchfork:

The xx:

09-05 Stradbally, Ireland - Electric Picnic
09-06 London, England - Offset Festival
09-17 Bristol, England - O2 Academy *
09-18 Bournemouth, England - O2 Academy *
09-20 Birmingham, England - O2 Academy *
09-21 Leeds, England - O2 Academy *
09-22 Glasgow, Scotland - ABC *
09-24 Newcastle, England - O2 Academy *
09-25 Manchester, England - O2 Academy *
09-27 London, England - Shepherds Bush Empire *
09-28 London, England - Shepherds Bush Empire *
09-29 London, England - Shepherds Bush Empire *
10-01 Bristol, England - Cooler
10-02 Oxford, England - Jericho Tavern
10-03 Newcastle, England - Cluny
10-04 Manchester, England - Deaf Institute
10-05 Glasgow, Scotland - Captain's Rest
10-06 Liverpool, England - Korova
10-07 Nottingham, England - Bodega
10-13 Berlin, Germany - Lido
10-14 Hamburg, Germany - Gruner Jager
10-15 Cologne, Germany - Luxor
10-16 Munich, Germany - 59 to 1
11-19 Austin, TX - The Mohawk #
11-20 San Diego, CA - Casbah #
11-23 San Francisco, CA - The Independent #
11-24 Sacramento, CA - Sacramento State University #
11-25 Portland, OR - Doug Fir #
11-26 Vancouver, British Columbia - Venue #
11-27 Seattle, WA - Neumo's #
11-30 Minneapolis, MN - Triple Rock Social Club #
12-01 Chicago, IL - Bottom Lounge #
12-02 Toronto, Ontario - Phoenix #
12-03 Montreal, Quebec - Les Saints #
12-05 New York, NY - Webster Hall #

* with Florence and the Machine
# with Friendly Fires

so far no Los Angeles dates?

they do have two days open when in California however.

I was gonna say, all too tempting a gap.

gotta say, i'm really happy i got to see them in such a small venue the other week. a converted church hall w/tiny capacity. the perfect venue for them.

Yeah, I'll be seeing them in a c.200 capacity venue - just the job.

Yeah that M Ward song with Lucinda Williams from his last album popped into my mind when listening to a couple of these tracks - not really the arrangement but the combination of voices.

The other thing this reminded me of was LOW - who evidently aren't as fashionable a touchstone as, I dunno, dubstep or whatever.

The dubstep mentions don't really make any sense to me; it's minimalist indie with some deep bass and pop touches.

Perhaps Colder crossed with Insides to be really precise about it.

thats a mouth-watering description! i've just been listening to it, a bit low-key to come to any decisoin about it yet. dont hear too much Insides though (and i LOVE insides, no breathy bjorkesque vocals and head spinning dreampop guitar)

The xx?

More like the zz, right?

Wrong, this is a pretty nice album; quiet, contemplative, competent and simple. It won't be my favorite of the year but I'm glad I grabbed it as it's provides a nice contrast to the varying flavors of bombast I've been wallowing in (mostly Bat For Lashes and Telefon Tel Aviv).

10-04 Manchester, England - Deaf Institute

...must resist obvious joke...

dan, you're not listening to the first telefon tel aviv album then? 'cause that is seriously the most soothing album of all-time.

I'm listening to the last Telefon Tel Aviv album; I'll get to the first one eventually.

it's incredible but very different from the stuff with vocals (which i haven't listened to very much)

The other thing this reminded me of was LOW

Maybe some Bizarro World version of Low where they don't harmonise, and Alan can't sing...

Still feel like the grinch on this - it's ok when he's keeping shtum, but the songs and arrangements are so pedestrian. And the whole "they're so clever, just 19" stuff is bollocks - there's rafts of artists who've done *amazing* stuff when in the flush of youth.

yeah, but few of them have quite coincided with being feted by the uk indie press in this decade, i think is a part of the thing, there

I can't believe somebody already made the "The ZZ" joke :'(

It had to be said.

She is a much better singer than he is but I really, really, really dig their New Order-influenced minimalism.

i always know i can count on dan not to be all "hes not a bad singer because he sounds just like [bad singer from another indie band]"

Not sure how that follows...?

i dont understand it either! im agreeing with dan

Oh right, I had missed the 'not' in your first post and I'm all "Wait, what?"

I'm usually skeptical about bands citing influences 'from pixies to mariah carey blah blah blah', but this is really good

yeah digging the tautness of it